Pile fabric



Aug. 29, 1967 J. T. SHORT ETAL 3,338,198

PILE FABRIC Original Filed Aug. 17, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 l nnnn n.

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JOE 7? SHO/2T INVENTORS JASPER c. @Auml/vc Har/,4R0 P//cE Aug- 29, 1967 J. T. SHORT ETAL 3,338,198

PILE FABRIC Original Filed Aug. 17, 1962 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 JOE 7.' SHO/27- MENTORS JASPER C @AU/ DING HOWARD PIKE Bmfpmuwog Manmm...

ATTORNEYS Aug. 29, 1967 J. T. SHORT ET AL 3,338,198

PILE FABRIC Original Filed Aug. 17, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS JOE 7T SHO/2T JASPER C GAULD/NG HOWARD P/KE ATTORNEYS United States Patent iice 3,338,198 Patented Aug. 29, 1967 3,338,198 PILE FABRIC Joe T. Short, West Point, Jasper C. Gaulding, Hogansville,

and Howard Pike, La Grange, Ga., assignors to Callaway Mills Company, La Grange, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Continuation of application Ser. No. 217,712, Aug. 17,

1962. This application May 12, 1965, Ser. No. 459,510 1 Claim. (Cl. 112-410) This is a continuation of our application Ser. No. 217,712 led Aug. 17, 1962, now abandoned.

This application is a continuation-impart of the sole application of J oe T. Short, Ser. No. 192,242, led May 3, 1962, and entitled, Tufting Method and Apparatus, now Patent No. 3,089,442.

This invention relates to tufted pile fabrics and to methods of making such fabrics. More particularly, the invention is concerned with the production of novel multicolor pattern effects in tufted fabrics containing loop pile.

In recent years extensive use has been made of tufting techniques for the production of pile fabrics such as floor covering materials. In a typical process of the type used commercially prior to the present invention, the formation of pile loops or tufts is accomplished through the interaction of needle and looper elements disposed on opposite sides of ya backing. Both the needles and the loopers are arranged in long rows extending transversely of the backing and the backing is advanced longitudinally. Each of the needles has an eye in its free end through which a pile yarn is threaded. All of the needles move together toward and away from the backing. As a needle moves toward the backing it carries with it a pile yarn and projects or inserts a loop of this pile yarn through the backing, and then the looper element'moves into the pile loop to hold the loop as the needle is withdrawn from the backing.

Various attempts were made using this general process to produce multicolor effects. However, the success achieved was limited, particularly in loop pile fabrics.

It is an object of this invention to produce a tufted pile fabric having a longitudinal row of pile tufts in which Vdifferent pile yarns predominate at the face of the fabric at different points .along the row. By using diierently colored pile yarns in such a row and selectively controlling the heights of the loops formed from these yarns, one can obtain novel pattern effects.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a backing is moved along a path and controlled lengths of a plurality of pile yarns having dierent appearance characteristics are released to a hollow needle which is reciprocated back and forth to insert the tip thereof through a backing. Air is moved through lthe needle in a stream that tends to project the pile yarns from the tip of the needle as these yarns are supplied to the needle. At each point where the tip of the needle enters the backing, it is lpossible to form a pile loop of any desired height from any one or all of the pile yarns passing through that needle. If it is desired that a given pile yarn extend along the backing without forming Ia pile loop at a given penetration point `of the needle, the amount of that yarn made available to the needle can be made to correspond to the length of the backstitch. During the same time period, a greater amount of another yarn may be supplied to the needle to form a pile loop extending through the backing. A plurality of pile loops of the same or different heights may also extend through the backing at any given point of penetration of the needle. The selectivity necessary for producing gured patterns and the like may be obtained by selectively controlling the relative amounts of the different yarns that are supplied to a given needle during the loop-forming cycles.

A more complete understanding of the invention will be gained from consideration of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic cross-sectional View of a multiple needle tufting machine for carrying out a method of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating generally the paths of the pile yarns supplied to the needles of the tufting machine, the view being taken generally in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view, partly in elevation and partly in cross section, of a portion of the pile yarn supplying mechanism in the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view illustrating in elevation portions of a pair of intermeshing pattern bars of the type used in the yarn supplying mechanism of FIG. 3

FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are diagrammatic views i1- lustrating pile loop-forming operations carried out in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 11 is 4a diagrammatic perspective View of a face portion of a fabric embodying the invention;

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic perspective View of the bottom of a oor covering embodying the invention, with a portion of a cover fabric being lifted to reveal the disposition of the pile yarns along the backing;

FIGS; 13, 14 and l5 are diagrammatic views illustrating loop forming operations in accordance with the invention performed by passing the needle tip a shorter distance through the backing than is illustrated in FIGS. 5, 7 and 9; and

FIG. 16 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line 16-16 in FIG. 1.

The tufting machine of FIG. 1 is provided with suitable fabric feeding and guiding means, including rollers 2 and 4, for advancing a backing 6 across the bed 8 of the machine in a conventional manner. The backing 6 ordinarily is a woven fabric of jute or cotton, but any suitable material may be used.

As the backing 6 is advanced, it moves through a tufting zone where pile loops are inserted therethrough. In this zone, the backing sheet 6 is supported from below by a plurality of tine ortinger elements .10 secured to the bed 8 and it is held against substantial upward movement by a presser member 12 carried by bracket means 14 secured to an upper housing unit 16 of the machine. The presser member 12 is provided with openings 18 in vertical alignment with the spaces between adjacent ones of the tines 10 and also in vertical alignment with the needles 20 of the machine.

Each of the needles 20 is provided with an axial passageway 21 of suicient size to accommodate a plurality of pile yarns such as those designated by the numerals 22 and 24 in the drawings. The needles 20 are mounted on a needle carrier 26 which is moved down and up cyclically to insert the lower tip end portions of the needles 20 into the backing 6 and to withdraw the needles 20 from the backing 6. As illustrated, the motion of the needle carrier 26 is a simple reciprocating motion. With this type of needle motion, it is desirable that the advance of the backing 6 to be intermittent so that it need not move during the portion of the machine cycle when the tips of 3 the needles 20 are inserted into the ibacking. It is preferred that the needles 20 -be disposed in a plurality o-f rows extending across the path of the backing 6 and that the needles 20 of one row be staggered with respect to the needles 20 of the other rows. Two transverse rows 20a and 20b of the needles 20 are shown in FIG. 16.

The drive for the needle carrier 26 may include an eccentric 28 rotatable with a driven shaft 30 within a bearing member 32. The bearing member 32 is pivotally connected at 34 to the upper end of a push rod 36 mounted for vertical sliding movement in a bearing member 38 carried by the upper housing unit 16 of the machine. The lower end of the push rod 36 is connected rigidly to the needle carrier 26 so that the needle carrier 26 will move up and down as the eccentric 28 rotates about the axis of the driven shaft 30,

The pile yarns 22 and 24 are fed through the axial passageways 21 in the needles 20 by uid streams. As illustrated, the needle carrier 26 includes a large air chamber 40 to which air under pressure may be supplied through one or more flexible tubes 42 leading from a suitable pressurized air source 44 such as the discharge chamber of a compressor. Each of the needles 20 is mounted on the needle carrier 26 by set screws 45 or other suitable means, and each passes through the air chamber 40. The wall of each needle has orifice means 46 in communication with the air chamber 40. Air is prevented'from escaping around the exterior wall of each needle by suitable O-rings 48 or other sealing means.

The orices 46 are inclined downwardly and inwardly to cause air from the chamber 40 to iiow into the axial passageway 21 of the needle in the form of a high velocity downwardly directed stream. It is desirable that the orifice meansr46 be such as to reduce the pressure of the air below atmospheric pressure at the outlet of the orifice means. With this arrangement an additional draft of air downwardly through the open upper end of the axial passageway 21 in the needle 20 is induced, and threading of the needle may be accomplished by delivering a yarn end to the upper end of the passageway 21.

'I'he high velocity air stream flowing downwardly through a needle 20 exerts dragr forces on the pile yarns 22 and 24 tending to project these yarns from the lower end of the needle. The air stream will pull through a needle 20 Whatever length of yarn is released to the needle. It is important to note also that the forces are applied to the yarns in such a way that the individual yarns may be fed at different rates. For example, during a given time interval there may be fed through the axial passageway 21 of a given needle 20 a small length of pile yarn 22 and a greater length of another pile yarn 24.

When a plurality of pile yarns pass together through a single yarn passageway 21 in a needle 20 their surfaces contact, and under some conditions it would be possible for one yarn to interfere with the feeding of another. For this reason it is desirable to use synthetic filament pile yarns, such as multilament nylon yarns, in practicing the invention. Such yarns are relatively smooth, and since they are held under tension by the air stream owing downwardly through the passageway 21, there is no danger of one interfering with the delivery of the other. When other types of yarns are used, it may be advisable to provide additional assurance that interference will not occur. For example, the yarns may be given a temporary treatment, such as a coating of starch, to improve their surface characteristics during the tufting process, or the passageway through the needle may be subdivided or partitioned so as to minimize contact between the yarns.

The supplying of pile yarns to the needles 20 is accomplished in the machine illustrated in the drawings by a feed mechanism 50 of the notched bar type. However, other suitable feed mechanisms capable of Selectively varying the rate of delivery of individual ones or groups of the pile yarns may be used if desired. The mechanism 50 is well known, and it need not be described in detail here. It will suice to point out that the pile yarns from some suitable source such as a Creel are engaged by intermeshing pattern bars 52 and 54 mounted on endless carriers or chains 56 and 58 that are guided through a yarn feeding zone. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pattern bars 54 on the upper chain assembly 58 have shallow notches 60, intermediate depth notches 61, and deep notches `62 in their edges for receiving pairs of the pile yarns. Hence, in the yarn feeding zone where the pattern bars 52 and 54 are disposed in intermeshing relationship, the pile yarns are carried along undulating paths of different lengths. When the endless chains 56 and 58 move a pair of pattern bars 52 and 54 out of the zone of intermeshing, the amount of a given yarn released depends upon whether that yarn passed through a shallow notch 60, an intermediate depth notch 61, or a deep notch 62 in that bar 54. Less yarn is released from a deep notch 62 than from a shallow notch 60.

In order that the width of the feed mechanism 50 may be minimized, it is preferred that a plurality of pile yarns be disposed in each of the notches 60, 61 and 62. As shown, pairs of the yarns 22 of one color pass through alternate ones of the notches and pairs of the yarns 24 of another color pass through intermediate ones of the notches. This arrangement is not essential however, and other feed systems may be used.

From the feed mechanism 50 the yarns pass to the needles 20 of the tufting machine through guides such as openings 64 and 66 in a plate member 68 attached to .the housing unit 16. In the illustrated machine there are two of the guide openings 64 and 66 for each of the needles 20. However, if more than two yarns are to be supplied to each of the needles 20, the ,guide means would include more guide openings per needle.

Where multicolor effects are to produced, the pile yarns 22 and 24 passing to a given needle 20 have different appearance characteristics. They may differ in color or texture or both. This is suggested in the drawings by the stippling applied to the yarn 22.

FIGS. 5-10 illustrate a sequence of three needle penetrations during which three distinctly different appearance effects are produced on the surface of the fabric by a single needle 20. Only two pile yarns are shown in these views, ibut it will be understood that a greater number of yarns may be supplied to a single needle if desired.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the needle 20 in a position it assumes after it has been inserted through the backing 6 and in a position it assumes after being withdrawn from the backing 6 in a cycle during which a long loop 70 from the yarn 24 and a short loop 72 from the yarn 22 project together through a single opening in the backing 6. The different loop lengths are achieved by feeding through the yarn-supply mechanism during that cycle an amount of the yarn 24 greater than the amount of the yarn 22. Referring again to FIGS. 3 and 4 and visualizing the passage of a single pair of the bars 52 and 54 out of the yarn feeding zone, it will be understood that the dilerent loop lengths suggested in FIG. 6 would result if the yarn 24 were in a shallow notch 60 and the yarn 22 were in an intermediate depth notch 61 in the bar 54.

FIG. 7 and 8 are similar to FIGS. 5 and 6 with respect to the ill-ustrated positions of the needle 20. However, these views illustrate the conditions that exist during the next cycle. During this cycle, the amount of the yarn 24 that is supplied to the needle 20 is sucient to permit the formation of a short loop 74. The amount of the yarn 22 that is released to the needle 20 is suflicient to permit this yarn to extend around the edge of the opening in the tip of the needle. Such a short yarn feed takes place for example when a yarn is released from a deep notch 62 in a pattern bar 54. When the needle tip is projected far enough to expose the entire opening beneath the backing 6 as illustrated in FIGS. 5, 7 and 9, a very short loop 76 may extend temporarily from the face of the backing 6. However, this loop may be withdrawn from the backing during the advance of the backing 6 or during the next downstroke of the needle 20 by limiting the additional amount of yarn 22 released to the needle during this period to a value less than that required for the yarn 22 to extend freely along the backing and around the edge of the opening in the needle tip. This condition is suggested in FIG. 9, where the seed loop 76 has been completely withdrawn so that the pile yarn 22 extends along the backing from the point at which loops 70 and 72 were formed, over the point where loop 74 was formed and on to the point where the needle next penetrates the backing 6.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate a third cycle, in which equal amounts of the yarns 22 and 24 are released to the needle 20 to form long loops from both of the pile yarns. IOnly one such loop 78 is rvisible in these views because the other is directly behind it.

It will be observed also in FIGS. 9 and 10 that the two yarns 22 and 24 have shifted laterally with respect to each other at 80. Since the pile yarns 22 and 24 pass freely through the central passageway 21 in the needle 20, they may be shifted relative to each other without ditiiculty. At one point in a longitudinal row of loops the pile yarn 22 may be disposed to the left of the pile yarn 24 and at another point the pile yarn 22 may be disposed to the right of the pile yarn 24. The crossing of the yarns may be allowed to occur in a random manner or it may be controlled where desired.

As seen in FIGS. 5-10, the legs of a majority of the loops formed by a single length of yarn, such as the legs of loops 70 Ior the legs of loops 72, in each longitudinal row of loops are longitudinally aligned with each other and with the back stitch connecting the aligned loops. Furthermore, the legs of a majority of the loops of different yarns in each transverse row are respectively aligned transversely with a leg of the loops in that row.

Various pattern effects obtainable in accordance with the invention are incorporated in the fabric shown diagrammatically in FIG. ll where the points A, B, C, D, and E represent successive penetrations of a needle that forms a longitudinal row of loops. Let it be assumed that the stippled yarns in this view are brown in color and that the other yarns are white. 'Ihe two loops that protrude through the same opening in the backing 6 at the point A are of unequal heights with the brown loop being longer than the white loop. At this point the color of the brown yarn will predominate on the face of the fabric, and the brown yarn will overlie and partially conceal the white yarn. At point B the two loops projecting from the backing 6 are again of unequal heights, but the white loop is higher than the brown loop so that the white yarn will partially overlie and conceal the brown yarn. At point C the two loops are of equal height, both being high or long loops. At this point both yarns will contribute equally to the color effect produced at the surface of the fabric. A similar color eect is achieved at point D where both of the loops projecting from the fabric are low loops. At point E only the white yarn extends through the backing to form a pile loop, it being understood that at this point the brown yarn passes along the rear face of the backing as indicated at 81 in FIG. 9.

Variations in color eiects within any given transverse row of loop pile also are contemplated. The point F is in transverse alignment with the point C. At point C the brown and white loops are of equal heights and contribute equally to the appearance of the face of the fabric, but at point F the brown loop is higher than the white loop so that the white loop is at least partially concealed.

Hence, it will be apparent that by using two differently colored yarns, a number of different visual ellectsV may =be produced in a single longitudinal row of loop pile. Blends of the two colors may be obtained in either high or low loops, or one color may be caused to predominate over the other. Additionally, it should be observed that variations in mechanical characteristics, such as the deformability of the pile surface of the fabric, result from the practice of the invention. For example, at a point where there are loops of different heights, the higher loop is supported to some extent by the underlying low loop. These effects can be produced selectively in accordance with any desired pattern.

In fabricating oor coverings, it is preferred that a binder and a cover sheet be applied to the rear face of the fabric formed on the tufting machine. A latex coating over the backing 6 and the pile yarns 22 and 24 securely lock the pile yarns in place and serve as a means for securing a cover sheet 82 to the backing 6 as suggested in FIG. 12. The cover sheet preferably is a loosely woven fabric of jute or cotton. It gives the iioor covering enhanced dimensional stability and abrasion resistance characteristics.

FIG. 12 also serves to clarify the relationship of the pile yarns 22 and 24 of a set to each other as they extend along the backing 6. They run generally in side-by-side relation, but one may cross laterally over the other as indicated at or one may pass through the backing to form a loop at a point where the other remains on the rear of the backing as indicated at 81. If it is desired that no loops at all be formed at some particular point where a needle penetrates the backing 6, both of the yarns of a set may be caused to extend along the backing at that point as suggested by the numeral 83.

It is not essential that the tips of the needles pass through the backing 6 to expose the entire area of their i yarn outlet openings beneath the fabric. Under some conditions it may be preferable to pass only a part of the tapered portion of the tip through the backing as shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 13-15. The taper of the tip of the needle 84 in these views is greater than that of the needles 20 and the vertical stroke is shorter. With such an arrangement it is not necessary that a seed loop be formed at a point in the fabric where a yarn is not to appear on the face of the final product. For example, FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate the formation of a high loop 86 from the yarn 22 at a point where the yarn 24 never enters the opening in backing 6. Yet, a plurality of loops 88 and 90 may be formed, as indicated in FIG. l5, at any needle penetrating point where they may vbe desired.

Still other modifications and variations will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that the foregoing description =be considered as exemplary only and that the scope of the invention be ascertained from the following claim.

We claim:

A tufted pile fabric comprising a backing sheet and a plurality of rows of spaced tufts, each of said rows comprising a pair of continuous pile yarns extending together along one side of said backing sheet and passing therethrough at spaced points to form the tufts ou the opposite side of said backing sheet, said tufts being formed by air blown along said yarns, a first of said air blown pile yarns presenting one appearance and the second of said air blown pile yarns presenting another appearance contrasting with said one appearance, said tufts including four different types of tufts delining a pattern in the fabric, a first of said types of tufts having a high loop formed by said iirst yarn and a low loop formed by said second yarn, a second of said types of tufts having a low loop formed by said first yarn and a high loop formed by said second yarn, said iirst and second yarns passing together in aligned relationship longitudinally of said rows through a single opening in the backing sheet at each of said first and second types of tufts, a third of said types of tufts having only a single loop formed by said first yarn passing by itself through an opening in the backing sheet with said second yarn extending on said one side of the backing sheet past said last named opening, a fourth of said types of tufts having only a single loop formed by said second yarn passing by itself through an opening in 7 8 the backing sheet with said rst yarn extended on sa'd 3,025,807 3/ 1962 Gebert 112-79.6 one side of the backing sheet past said last named open- 3,089,442 5/1963 Short 112-79 ing. 3,091,199 5/ 1963 Ballard 112-79 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS '5 `TORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

2,750,652 6/1956 Petroskg 161-66 FRANK LCOHENExamne 3,017,847 1/1962l Keen ....112-79 X J. R. BOLER, Assistant Examiner. 

